Dew on a Rose
by Dandelion Cat
Summary: Hinata fled to the woods to hide her broken heart. She felt little and unwanted. But someone else had taken refuge among the trees, and he would have nothing to do with her. Right?


Dew on a Rose

Sasuke sighed. He wasn't annoyed – truly, he wasn't. This sort of thing occurred much too often for it to bother him. Still, that logic didn't stop the raging headache that was beginning to build.

Sakura was yelling at Naruto for an obnoxious comment he'd made; some insult about Sasuke's injury that he'd received during their mission. Honestly – Sasuke really didn't care. He just wished that Sakura would quiet down. His head was beginning to throb and the bleeding wound on his back was starting to bother him. His teammates were really getting on his nerves.

Regardless, his facial expression didn't change. He merely watched the two squabble, his dark eyes moving without any sign of interest. A flicker caught his attention as Kakashi teleported away, looking exasperated by his bickering team. Sasuke took that as his cue to leave. As he left his teammates behind, he could hear their voices getting louder and take on a different tone, but he didn't bother to spare them a second glance. The noise began to dull as he walked down the street until it finally disappeared altogether.

Striding deftly through the mobs of people in the crowded streets, Sasuke made his way towards the edge of town. He disregarded the merchants trying to sell their goods on the side of the road. A group of children begged him to come play with them, but he ignored them. A woman who'd stopped at one of the fruit stands saw his bleeding back and screamed, but Sasuke didn't pay her any mind. He continued to head onward single-mindedly, bent on getting some rest in a quiet place that only he knew of.

As he turned the corner, the Konoha Forest came into view. The trees, ancient and foreboding, offered perfect protection from the hustle and bustle of the village. Sasuke didn't hesitate as he walked into the solace of the forest. Then, glancing around to be sure that he wasn't being followed, he broke into a run.

Sasuke weaved effortlessly through the trees, the wound on his back hardly hindering him. Even at a run he didn't brush a single branch or stir a single leaf. He had come this way so many times before that he could have run entire way blindfolded, despite the rough terrain. It was his safe haven; his sanctuary.

He'd found this place when he was a child in the academy on a day when he'd been searching for some flowers for his mother. At first, he'd come here to play, but before long, it became his refuge from the pressure at home and at school. The trees provided him with shelter and the stream provided a place where he could escape from the intense heat during the summer. Sasuke had also adorned the space with practice targets so that he could hone his skills after school let out. The space had everything a young boy could want, and the security that he enjoyed to this day.

Coming into the clearing, Sasuke was greeted by the sight of a grassy beach leading up to the creek. Through the clear water he could see the dark shapes of several trout swimming lazily upstream, as well as a turtle basking on a log in the bright sunlight. Vibrant pink flowers lined the shores and grew around a cluster of large boulders lying off to the side. The trickling sound of the cool water was inviting, but Sasuke opted for resting on a tree branch that hung low over the creek.

The tree was one of his favorite parts of the little hideaway and the perfect place to catch a nap. He jumped up and landed on the limb with one easy leap, smirking as he recalled the difficulty he'd had in climbing the tree when he was a child.

As the water rushed by beneath him, Sasuke sat back and leaned against the sturdy trunk of the tree, biting back a groan as the rough bark came in contact with his wound. His better sense told him to get it treated, but he was too tired to go to the hospital and was unable to treat the wound himself because of its location. Irritated, he cursed the shinobi he'd fought against for catching him unaware. He shifted, trying to ease some of the weight off of his injury and get into a more comfortable position. When he was satisfied he rested his head against the tree and closed his eyes. Within moments he was asleep.

* * *

Hinata ran, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. Branches whipped at her face and pulled at her clothes, but she hardly noticed them. She hadn't meant to see that. If anything, she wished she hadn't. Maybe, then, she wouldn't be hurting this much.

She'd been looking for a gift for her father when she'd seen Naruto and Sakura. They were yelling loudly at one another, arguing over something. Hinata wanted to greet them but she was hesitant to get involved in their fight.

"Why do you only care about Sasuke!? That bastard doesn't give you the time of day!"

"That's not true!"

"Is it? I wouldn't think so with the way he wouldn't even let you treat that cut on his back earlier!"

"But I –"

"I just don't get you! Why do you care about someone who hardly seems to like you at all?!"

Sakura looked shocked by Naruto's harsh words, her eyes wide and hurt. Naruto's expression changed, but he didn't look regretful for what he'd said. Instead, his ice-blue eyes became hard and serious. His voice grew low and rough. He looked like a man who was ready to surrender.

"I don't understand. Why do you hate me so much when I would do anything for you? Why should I keep trying if you're never going to give me a chance?"

His underlying message was obvious; if she wasn't going to even consider him, then he was going to end it. He would stop chasing her.

And he would give up loving her.

Sakura looked shocked, but, after a moment, Hinata could see the gears working in her head. She had no chance with Sasuke – that much was obvious. And she would be losing her best chance at a true relationship if she continued to pursue him. Naruto was the best person for her after all. And losing him wasn't a loss that she was willing to make.

Hinata found that she couldn't look away, despite how much she wanted to. As Naruto started to walk away, Sakura lunged forward and grabbed his sleeve. He turned, his normally bright eyes looking dull and lifeless. For a moment, Sakura appeared to be stunned by his expression.

Shaking herself out of it, she stretched up on her toes, her hands trembling as she gripped his shirt, and brushed her lips softly against his.

Naruto's eyes became as huge as saucers and he gaped like a fish. He tried to speak, the words coming out jumbled and incoherent. He was so shocked that it was almost comical.

Almost.

Instead, Hinata felt sick. What use had all her efforts been? Chasing after Naruto – dreaming that one day he would notice her. Working so hard so that she could be worthy of fighting beside him. How foolish she'd been. Sakura had him wrapped around her little finger. Maybe, if she'd said something, she would have had a chance. But she hadn't, and now it was too late. Her eyes wide, she watched as Naruto wrapped his arms around Sakura and kissed her. They both looked so perfect, so light and full of bliss. As she watched them, Hinata felt a pain stab deep into her heart. It hurt.

Abruptly, she couldn't bear to watch anymore. She felt sick and forgotten and wanted nothing more than to flee. The urge was so strong that she forgot about getting a gift for her father. Her feet moved of their own accord, spinning her around and carrying her away from the heartbreaking scene. She ran so quickly that she was just a blur darting through the crowds. Meanwhile, her composure started to break. Her eyes clogged up with tears and her legs felt weak and wobbly. She willed herself to keep it together – to wait until she reached to forest before falling apart.

She darted past a familiar figure—Shikamaru. His eyes widened as he recognized her. His mouth opened, as if to call out to her, but then he closed it as his sharp eyes took in her expression.

Kami, she must look horrible.

She pushed herself faster, wanting to get away from all of the prying eyes. Everyone always thought of her as weak – but why prove them right?

Within minutes, she was in the trees. She pushed herself roughly through the underbrush, oblivious to the vegetation in her path. She had no idea where she was going. She just wanted to get away, it didn't matter where she ended up.

Gradually, she began to hear the sounds of a stream up ahead. The sound was quiet and familiar. She didn't know why, but she has always been drawn to water, and this time was no exception. She pressed onward, still going at a recklessly fast pace. Meanwhile, her eyesight grew blurry from the repressed tears and her body began to feel weak and fatigued. She dodged several times to avoid colliding with hazy trees and bushes, but she didn't dare continue up on the higher branches for fear of falling.

The stream seemed to appear out of nowhere. One minute, she was running through the woods and, the next, she was in a little clearing. It caught Hinata by surprise. Then, due to her disorientation – or perhaps it was just an act of fate – her foot got tangled in the roots and she fell, yelping as her foot was pulled at an awkward angle.

For a moment, she panicked that her ankle was broken, but her kunoichi instincts took hold and reminded her that there had been a popping sound, not a snap. Her ankle probably wasn't broken; it should be just a sprain.

She was turning herself over to take a look at it when she heard a noise. She froze, listening intently, and heard it again. A soft groan. She looked around, but there was nobody in sight. Feeling slightly on edge, she activated her Byakugan. She gasped and whipped her head around, looking up.

A hand hung limply from a branch hanging above the stream. A dried trail of blood twisted down the limb where it must have dripped into the crystal clear water. Her eyes trailed upward and she stared at the sleeping face. She was surprised by how peaceful he looked, despite being wounded. His expression was smooth, not frowning, not glaring, but sort of soft and clearly exhausted. She had never seen Sasuke Uchiha looking so vulnerable.

But the tiny river of blood worried her. How long had he been up there for? And how bad was his wound? She was scared of approaching him, having always found him intimidating, but she was above leaving him to deal with it on his own. Being careful of her ankle, she made her way over to the tree that he rested upon.

The only problem was – how did she get him down? Climbing the tree would be difficult enough with her hurt ankle, but how would she be able to carry him back down? She tried calling out to him.

"S-Sasuke? Sasuke, are you alright?"

There was no response. He was either unconscious or deeply asleep. She hoped it was the latter.

Taking a deep breath, she focused her chakra to her hands and knees. Then, crawling like a toddler, she made her way up the tree. It turned out to be much easier than she had expected – her precise chakra-control really came in handy. Being extra-careful not to disturb Sasuke, Hinata pulled herself up onto the limb he was resting on. She quickly checked his vitals and was relieved to find that everything appeared to be normal. With that done, she hesitated. What now? It would be dangerous to try to get him down herself, but she was afraid to wake him. Would he be angered by her intrusion? She didn't want to have to face an enraged Uchiha. His cold expression had always frightened her. She would hate to have his fury directed at her.

Telling herself that her fears were irrational, she reached out and gently shook his shoulder. His onyx eyes opened slowly and he blinked, looking dazed and off guard. Hinata hesitantly leaned closer and parted her lips to speak. Suddenly, one of his hands darted out and clamped down on her wrist. She tried to pull back, and then, in the next instant, she found herself pinned to the tree with Sasuke leaning over her. He pressed her roughly against the coarse bark and locked her wrists above her head. His eyes glowed crimson; the three tomoes whirled dangerously.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a low voice, irritation written across his features.

"I-I" she stuttered. He watched her with narrowed eyes. Then, unable to admit that she'd been running away, she brought up another subject. "You're hurt."

Sasuke glared at her, looking suspicious. "Yes, I am."

"D-do you—I mean, w-would you like me to treat it? I-I have some bandages w-with me."

He stared at her, his eyes still bright red, searching for any signs of falsehood. Hinata assumed that this was the result of his admirers constantly attempting to trick him. Looking at his guarded expression, she found that – despite the position she was in– she felt sorry for him. It must be painful to always have to worry about being taken advantage of.

"That's fine."

Hinata looked up as he pulled away to see that his eyes had lost their scarlet tinge. They were now the color of a starless night sky. She looked away quickly, her face turning red for some reason. Was it because he'd caught her staring? He continued to watch her, much to her embarrassment, and she rushed to distract him.

"U-um. Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"C-could you—I mean, it w-would be difficult to h-help you while w-we're up in this tree."

Understanding what she was asking, Sasuke rose smoothly and leaped to the ground, landing with catlike grace. Hinata attempted to follow suit, landing on her good foot and using her chakra to keep her balance. Somehow, she doubted that she'd looked as fluid.

Not waiting for her to ask him, Sasuke settled himself onto the grass with his back to her. She was surprised by his actions – she hadn't expected him to trust her so quickly. She knelt down and touched his back gently, noting how the dried blood that pasted his shirt to open wound.

"U-um. C-can you t-take off y-your sh-shirt or should I c-cut it?"

"Do whatever you want." He answered frankly.

Hinata froze for a moment, shocked by his indifference. She had expected him to take it off himself, but it seemed that he was leaving everything up to her. Not wanting to make him impatient, she forced herself to move. Her hands shook slightly as she tenderly pulled the fabric away from his skin.

Sasuke had to admit, he was surprised. He had expected that the Hyuga girl would be just like any other girl—loud, annoying, probing. When he'd let her treat his back, he'd worried that she would be just like Sakura, touching his bare skin in an irritatingly sensual way. He'd always tolerated it when she had, but it was still irksome for him to do so. Instead, she worked silently, her delicate fingers gently removing the fabric from his back. Every time that she came to an especially difficult spot she used her chakra to loosen the dried blood before she proceeded to gently pull away the material. Compared to the other injuries he'd received over the years, this was the first time that he had been treated with such tenderness. Most nurses had mistakenly assumed that since he didn't react to pain, he didn't feel any. But this girl – _Hinata_, Sasuke reminded himself, _her name is Hinata_– was different. Her every move was made with utmost concern for him. If his muscles tensed from pain, even the slightest bit, then she would immediately lessen the pressure until her fingers became as light as the wings of a butterfly. Sasuke felt his eyelids begin to droop.

As she pulled away the shredded fabric, Hinata's horror grew at the length of the wound. It ran from the tip of his shoulder blade to base of his back. She was surprised that he had managed to cope with it for this long. It must have been painful.

Abruptly, she stopped as she pulled the last bit of cloth away from the wound.

She would have to remove his shirt entirely in order to treat his back.

Her face turned bright red from embarrassment and she bit her lip as she stared at his partially-covered back. Onyx eyes met pearly white as Sasuke turned his head to look at her, probably wondering why she stopped. He gazed at her for a second, measuring her expression, and then looked away, his face impassive. Taking that as permission, Hinata hesitantly pulled up the hem of his shirt, revealing the rest of his back.

For a moment, she was surprised by the hardened bands of muscle that rippled beneath his ivory skin. It had not occurred to her before that it must have taken more than pure genius to get to the level that he was at. It had to have taken hours of hard work and determination to become so strong. She couldn't help but admire him for it.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she timidly lifted his shirt above his head, her fingers brushing his soft raven hair. Much to her surprise, Sasuke lowered his head helpfully so that she could pull off the shirt. Once she'd removed it, she threw it to the side and pulled out some medical supplies from her bag.

Examining the gash, she found that the bleeding had already stopped, much to her relief. After coating the wound with an ointment, she swiftly padded it and picked up a roll of bandage. Applying light pressure, she carefully began to wrap it across his broad shoulders and over the wound, making sure to hold the padding in place. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she slipped her arms around him to wind the bandage across his chest.

It was almost like she was embracing him. A strand of black hair tickled her nose and she blushed at the thought.

Thankfully, he made no sign of protest, so she assumed that he didn't mind. She proceeded to wrap the bandage around the wound, being as gentle as possible. Kiba had always admired her tenderness, and it was strange to be helping someone other than her teammates. Maybe this is what she had needed – something to distract her from the pain.

_Pain._

She had nearly finished when he suddenly slumped forward. Caught by surprise, she jerked away from him.

He didn't move.

Hinata's heart felt as though it'd stopped. A lump suddenly grew in her throat and she couldn't speak. Panicking, she dragged herself over so that she could see his face, heedless of the pain in her ankle.

At the sight of his now-familiar features, she let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. He was just fine. But his expression took her by surprise. His eyes had drifted shut and his face was peaceful and relaxed. It appeared that he was sleeping.

Almost automatically, she reached out and brushed his bangs away from his face, admiring his smooth features. She doubted that most people had ever seen the prodigy so relaxed. She wondered why he had chosen to show this softer side of him to her. After all, he hardly knew her.

When she looked up, she jumped as she saw two charcoal eyes gazing at her questioningly. She drew her hand back quickly, her face burning. He continued to watch her silently, analyzing her expression. A minute passed and she fought to keep herself from shaking under his intense gaze.

Then, abruptly, he shifted away from her.

A wave of hurt washed over Hinata, shocking her. She hardly knew Sasuke, so why did his sudden rejection hurt like this? To her embarrassment, her eyes started to fill with tears. Not wanting Sasuke to see, she looked away quickly. She just couldn't deal with this today. Too much had happened. She needed a break from all of this.

She looked up again as he leaned towards her, having tested the elasticity of the bandages. He locked eyes with her for a moment, sending a message that she couldn't understand. Then, he deliberately leaned closer and rested his cheek against his fist, his hair just brushing against her sleeve. His eyes were surprisingly warm before he shut them.

Saying that Hinata was surprised was an understatement. She had expected him to be angry for her unwarranted intrusion. And yet, the way he allowed his hair to brush against her was as if he was saying that he didn't care. But had he really not minded? Or did he simply feel too weak from his injury to be angry?

It was all so confusing.

Unable to come up with an answer, she quickly went back to work, bandaging the rest of the wound in no time. When she was done she tied the ends of the bandage in a knot.

"I-I'm finished."

Sasuke opened his eyes to see the girl staring at the ground, glancing at him timidly every now and then.

He was surprised that she was done already. Her touch had been so light that he'd found himself not minding it at all. It was strange, what was it about this girl that made him feel so comfortable? He stared at her, trying to find an answer. She blushed under his surveillance, ducking her head shyly.

_Cute_, Sasuke mused. She was so much different from the other girls he'd encountered. They always flaunted their looks in hope of catching the attention of the better-looking males. Being around them was so annoying. Finding someone like Hinata was like getting a breath of fresh air on a hot day. For some reason, it nice to be around her.

"Thanks."

"Huh?"

Seeing her startled expression, he smirked.

"Thank you for bandaging my back."

"O-oh." She looked surprised by what he'd said. "Y-you're welcome."

His lips twitched upwards in an amused half-smile. Yes, this girl was indeed something special. She hadn't been overly excited when he'd thanked her. She was just . . . normal. She treated him no differently from anyone else.

It was nice.

But why had he thanked her in the first place?

He studied her for a moment, pondering this unusual turn of events. Then he turned absently to look at the water. He watched quietly as several branches floated slowly downstream, deep in thought.

Hinata sat beside Sasuke in silence, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

It was calm. It was peaceful.

But this prolonged stillness was strange.

She wondered if something was wrong. For a while she sat quietly, struggling to work up the nerve to speak. But, the moment she parted her lips, he stood. Without taking notice of her, he brushed the dirt from his pants and picked up his abused shirt, giving it a look of disgust before throwing it in his bag. Then he turned back to look at her.

Abruptly, he held his hand out to her. She stared at it in confusion for a moment before realizing that he was offering to help her up. Hesitantly, she reached out and placed her hand in his. His gentlemanly gesture surprised her. But she found it to be oddly sweet.

He pulled her to her feet with ease, and Hinata struggled to keep her balance. She stood with all of her weight on one foot, trying to keep him from noticing her injury. But when he turned to walk towards the village, she subconsciously shifted to follow him. Unwillingly, she let out a pained cry as her ankle protested sharply. Her foot couldn't support her. Unable to stay balanced, she fell to the ground, leaving Sasuke too surprised to catch her.

He was by her side in a flash, crouched down next to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His charcoal-colored eyes looked her over briefly and Hinata resisted the urge to twist away from his gaze. His eyes were quick to lock onto the red and swollen skin above her foot. "You hurt your ankle?"

"Y-yes."

He shifted towards her and she couldn't help but jerk away. He snorted at her reaction.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, his eyes suddenly shifting to amusement.

"N-no," she stammered. His expression made her anxious, but she was grateful that he hadn't been offended by her actions.

"Is that so?" Sasuke's smirk grew wider. "So you won't mind if I take a look at it, right?"

Hinata didn't respond.

Taking that as permission, he leaned forward to examine her ankle. She watched stiffly as he probed the injury to assess the damage. To her surprise, his touch was very gentle.

"It's definitely a sprain" he concluded after a moment. He looked into his bag and pulled out a small towel. "I don't have the things I need to bandage it properly, but we should at least sponge it with some cold water."

Hinata nodded. Sasuke got up and walked to the stream. She watched as he crouched down and dipped the towel in the creek. The clear water looked refreshing as it ran over the tiny colored stones and soaked the folded piece of cloth. She wondered why he didn't just make her sit in the stream. It would make things much easier for him. There was no way that she could bring herself to object if he asked. It wouldn't be his problem if her clothes got wet.

Sasuke returned and directed his attentions to her ankle. The wet towel felt good against her hot and swollen skin, and she murmured her thanks.

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked. A smirk played on his lips, giving him the kingly look of a cat who'd caught its prey. She merely let out a sigh as he readjusted the blissfully cool cloth on her ankle. Being looked after was a nice change. Strange—but pleasant nonetheless.

Her contented reverie was broken by the sound of his voice.

"We need to head back."

She looked at him in confusion. He knew that she couldn't walk like this. Even if he was willing to help her, he wasn't healed enough to carry her on his back and they would never make it to the village if he merely supported her. Perhaps he was going to go get help? She nearly shivered at the thought; she didn't want to be left alone.

Suddenly, the ground flew out from under her. Reflexively, she struggled to get away from the arms holding her and was immediately pressed tight against a muscular chest, keeping her from escaping.

"Hold still or I'm going to drop you," Sasuke ordered sternly, his eyes betraying his amusement. She pressed her lips together and forced herself to stay still. She wasn't used to being carried, especially this way, and it felt strange. Were it not for her ankle, she would have found a way to refuse.

Sasuke had never held someone cradled in his arms like this before. His body was tense, the physical response set off by the unfamiliarity of the situation. He could feel the tension in her shoulders slowly relax as she adjusted to being carried. Apparently, this was new to her as well. Holding her snug against him as he ran at a steady pace through the woods, he felt oddly comfortable. Gradually, she leaned against him, a blush darkening her cheeks.

Oh. He'd forgotten that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

After the first mile or so, she seemed resigned to being carried in this fashion and her face returned to its normal color. He couldn't help but wonder: what would have happened to her if he hadn't been there? And not just that, but what would have happened to him if she hadn't found him? Sure, the bleeding had stopped, but he would have been weak if his wound had remained untreated and gotten infected. He might not have made it back himself.

Eventually, the village came into sight. Sasuke felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. What was wrong with him?!

Hinata looked up as well, and he saw the same emotions reflected in her eyes. Thankfully, he had hidden his beneath a stony mask.

Neither of them spoke as he finally made it out of the forest and onto open road. Sasuke automatically slowed down to a walk, but didn't relinquish his hold on the girl. He figured it would be best that he take her to the clinic to have her ankle properly wrapped.

With her cradled in his arms, he walked down the nearly-empty street, passing several empty benches and a lone vendor. The man watched them curiously but, having lived in a village where injured shinobi had to be carried to the hospital, he chose not to comment. Sasuke glared daggers at him anyways.

The clinic was just in sight when he spotted Naruto and Sakura. To his surprise, Sakura was laughing at something Naruto said, her hand wrapped around his. It appeared that something had changed between them while he was gone. He watched them smile at each other and felt glad. He wasn't heartless. He was happy that Naruto had finally gotten the girl he wanted.

. . . and knowing that Sakura will be off his back was nice too, he'll admit.

His musings were interrupted when Hinata suddenly stiffened in his arms. He glanced down at her and noticed that she was staring at the pair, her expression akin to pain. Instantly, he remembered that the girl clearly had a thing for his teammate. Why Naruto hadn't noticed that she was constantly watching and admiring him was beyond Sasuke.

What could he say? The boy was an idiot.

As they drew nearer, Hinata began to tremble. Strangely, he felt the urge to turn around and carry her away. To shield her. Her aching expression encouraged him to do so.

Just as he was about to dash away (though he still couldn't fathom why he wanted to) she clutched his arm tightly. He looked down at her questioningly and realized that her grip on his arm was unconscious. Her eyes were still full of pain, but her expression was rigid with determination. With some effort, she ceased trembling and plastered a small smile on her face. He had to admit, he was impressed by her courage.

But when Naruto and Sakura noticed them, her smile faltered. Sasuke watched his teammates closely. Both of them looked shocked when they recognized Sasuke and then Hinata. For a moment, Sakura looked hurt. Overcoming his initial shock, Naruto grabbed her hand and tugged her along as he approached the pair, causing Sakura to smile again. Sasuke relaxed slightly. At least she wasn't planning to make things difficult. It was Naruto who was the problem.

"Hey! What happened?! What's wrong with Hinata?!" he shouted. He gave Sasuke a dirty look, wordlessly warning him that this had better not be his fault. Sasuke glared back, but was distracted when Hinata began shaking again. He looked at her and saw that her jaw was tight, struggling to hang on to a faint shadow of a smile. Tears the size of tiny beads formed at the corners of her eyes. She was trying so hard, but she was hurting.

It was then that he realized that she wasn't the weak little girl that he'd imagined her to be. She'd been almost invisible to him. She was like the early morning dew that clung to the petals of a rose. She was small and easy to miss, but, when someone truly noticed her, they could see that her beauty outshone that of the rose. As a rosebush will bloom year after year, the dew returns again and again with a radiance just as beautiful as the time before. It seemed so fragile, but it was surprisingly enduring. And breathtaking.

This revelation revealed what all the other signs had failed to get across. The way he relaxed in her presence. His abnormally gentle care for her ankle. His willingness to carry her back to the village. The way he didn't seem to want to let her go. . .

He was falling in love with her.

Naruto froze when Sasuke suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips gently against Hinata's. Her eyes widened in shock, and she searched frantically into the obsidian eyes above her. There was no teasing, no scornful amusement. His eyes were warm and she felt something flutter in her chest. What was this feeling?

Naruto whistled and let out a laugh, but she didn't feel upset or embarrassed. Being with Sasuke was right somehow. Like they were meant to be.

Tentively, she kissed him back. She was surprised when she felt his affection and sincerity. Maybe Naruto wasn't meant for her after all. Maybe she had gotten someone better suited for her. Someone who could support her. A beautiful rose beyond all the thorns.

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_Please, please, please review! I worked really hard writing this story and it's encouraging when someone reviews! Thank you for reading!_


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